If It Looks Like Strawberry Jelly & It Tastes Like Strawberry Jelly ...

If you find strawberry jelly in my house, someone must have brought it over! Diva is allergic to strawberries - a tough thing for a kid, EVERYTHING kid related comes in strawberry!

We had stopped at the store on Tuesday and she asked me what it tasted like. I didn't know how to answer that. I can tell her what it was like, for me, but it won't answer her real question. What does it taste like, to her.

That night, I sat here and thought about it. There has to be a way to give her the strawberry experience without the fear of a mad dash to the ER.

Yesterday it hit me! Mock-Strawberry Jelly. Yes, you read that correctly, MOCK.

I made half a batch. It does have the texture of the real deal. The coloring is a little off. The taste is perfect! Well, close enough to be perfect, especially if you never had one before.

Tadah, it's sooooo yummy and easy. EASY easy!

The recipe can be found ->here<-

I Think I'm an Addict

Before anyone starts looking in to the Betty Ford Clinic for me... I'm not THAT kind of addict! I think I am addicted to ... paying off bills!

It started with paying off my car 18 months early, then it was paying off Elvis' car 42 months early, then it was any little debt we had. Eventually we became debt-free. The craving to pay, pay, pay was still there.

With no debt left to pay off, the instant gratification I felt after seeing the zero balance was a gateway. I tried to get that same high by paying off both car insurances.

The electric is pre-paid until at LEAST January 2013, the cable is ahead. I am resisting getting too far ahead on the health insurance.

The budget is written out for all of 2012. The banking accounts are set up to split the paycheck before it ever comes in. 

I worked out a plan to have my car insurance paid in full... for NEXT YEAR.

So... yes, I think I have an addiction... paying off the bills before they are due.

Leave me alone... go away... I don't want help... just let me sit here with the check registry...

My precious...

Don't Get Sucked Down

Today is sort of a cheat... I have been reading up on different cruise tips. I have been on one before, but Elvis, and my friend have not. There is no harm in brushing up and getting a few ideas. I came across a cruise tip list.

Now, I feel compelled to share...

Whatever you do, do NOT flush while sitting down!

(the suction can and has caused bodily injury)

Monday Mourning

Needless to say, it's a sad, sad day in our house. The Patriots once again brought us to the brink of victory and let it slip out of their fingers, this time, quite literally.

Most of the commercials were ho-hum, the half-time show was decent, but other than M.I.A.. flipping the bird, I don't think it would be anything people would be talking about. What ever happened to marching bands coming out to play intermission? Why does it have to be a concert in the middle of the game? Year after year people only talk about the scandal of the half-time show. To me, it's a big waste of time. Bring back the local University marching band!!! *giggle*

I do have to say, there was one really touching moment last night. So touching that I feel the need to buy a Dodge truck, a Chrysler car and vote Eastwood for President... yes, I know he's not running, that doesn't matter!

SuperYumBowl 2012

Grab your pom-poms!

I have been so excited about watching the Super Bowl with my family tonight. The Patriots vs. The Giants... again. I am getting a not-so-small selection of gaming goodies.

FRESH FROM THE OVEN

Baked Honey-Mustard Wings
Baked Buffalo Wings

Ham & Cheese Croissant Pinwheels

Salami & Cheese Croissant Pinwheels

Buffalo Chicken Croissant Pinwheels

Pizza Rolls

Loaded Potato Skins

NIBBLES

Onion Rings

Buggles

Doritos

Football Brownies

Pats Chocolate Cake

Red Velvet Cake

The Woman in Black - Review

I admit, I haven't read the book (yet) or seen the play (yet) but they are both on my to-do list now!

Daniel Radcliffe did an excellent job as Athur Kipps, an attorney from London. You forget all about his earlier acting rolls. Honestly, had he been a new-comer to the big screen, I would still be giving him kudos for a job well done.

The Woman in Black (2012) gave me hope that the art of horror movies is not lost. Suspense, hanging on your seat - well, when you aren't jumping out of it - and being totally drawn in to the story.

A young lawyer travels to a remote village where he discovers the vengeful ghost of a scorned woman is terrorizing the locals.

Being "Grown"

Tax refunds.

What comes to mind when you hear those words?  Do you think of it as free money? Do you have a list of things you want to buy?

Don't think of refunds as "free money", it's YOUR money. You earned that money. You allowed the government to hold on to that money, interest free. You overpaid, so you get it back. Simple as that. It's no different than taking a little out of every paycheck and shoving it in a savings account and pulling it all out, on one day. Well, I take that back. Banks give you interest (that you have to pay taxes on too - ugh).

As close as we try to get our taxes to be, there is always a little something coming back to us. I'm not complaining... we're glad we get the over-payments back!

What to do with it... He wants a new tv - a large screen, flat panel, HD monster. We HAVE a large screen tv. Granted it's a behemoth at about 2 feet deep, but it's in color, the screen is a decent size and it turns on when we want it. We'll get one... eventually. I want a new house and we will get that too... eventually.

Being Grown can be "not fun" sometimes. We did the responsible thing with the refund. *sigh*

• Since we are on a budget pay for the electric company, we know what the bill will be every month - 11 payments sent in. Paid off until January 2013. (I'll still be checking the balance monthly though, things DO increase.)
• My car insurance renewed in December 2011. It is now paid in full and I won't have to bother with it again until December 2012.
• His car insurance renews in June but he still had some remaining payments. They are now gone too. 
• The remainder is going in to savings

Is it exciting? Not really... Knowing that if something was to happen, the lights can't be turned off - awesome.

The money that would have been sent in to pay the electric bill will be deposited in to the savings account. The money that would have gone towards the insurances will still be put aside for insurances and make a decent dent when it comes time to renew.

 

SIX MORE WEEKS OF WINTER

oh joy...

Sorry, I'm Closed

There's nothing to see here today...

Seriously, look away...

Fine, if you insist on looking... there is an overwhelming feeling of "not being ready".

The Season of Reason of a Lifetime...

I woke up this morning... thinking.
Thinking about life, the people in it, the people who are long gone, and those I need to reconnect with. I don't have many people I call friends, but the ones I have are true to the core.

Over coffee, I was talking to my friend who is going through a transformation. No, there is no surgery involved, not that kind of transformation. *giggle*

Ahem... back to the serious sounding thinking voice...

For a while I have watched her get treated like a doormat by people who call themselves her friend. Friends don't set out to make you feel like something you step in just to make themselves feel better about their failing life. Friends don't try to belittle your achievements. Friends will not only stand beside you while you are reaching for the stars, they will toss you on their shoulders so you can be that much closer.

There comes a time to break free from the "ticks" in your life, those who do nothing but slowly and steadily suck away at your life, energy, sanity.

Sometimes the reason is to make you stronger.